Week 7 NFL Power Rankings: 4-Way Tie in the AFC East

We are six weeks into the 2012 NFL season, and in that time there has been parity in the league. Lots of it, in fact. Currently, there are 11 teams with a record of 3-3, four of those in the AFC East, where the Jets, Patriots, Bills and Dolphins find themselves in a four-way tie for first place.

The NFC West, which was supposed to be dominated by the 49ers, has three teams sitting at 4-2.

Which teams can really be trusted?

The Texans? They just gave up six touchdown passes to Aaron Rodgers en route to a 42-24 home loss.

The 49ers? They got embarrassed at home against the Giants, 26-3.

The Ravens? They can't stop the run, and just lost the heart of their team, Ray Lewis, for the season with a torn triceps.

Certainly not the Eagles, who blew a 10-point fourth quarter lead to the Lions, resulting in the firing of defensive coordinator Juan Castillo.

Enough already, you see my point.

1. Atlanta Falcons (2): 6-0 The Falcons are finding ways to win, and that is the sign of a special team. Matt Ryan did it again on Sunday.

2. New York Giants (10): 4-2 The Giants showed their championship pedigree Sunday in San Francisco, dominating 26-3. That was a statement win.

Brian Bahr/Getty Images

3. Baltimore Ravens (4): 5-1 The Ravens escaped against the Cowboys, but lost Ladarius Webb and Ray Lewis for the season in the process. That hurts to a defense that gave up 227 yards rushing to the Cowboys.

4. Houston Texans (1): 5-1 What happened to that scary Texans defense against the Packers? They got lit up for six touchdowns from Aaron Rodgers.

5. San Francisco 49ers (3): 4-2 That sure looked like the Alex Smith of old Sunday against the Giants. The 49ers got run off the field.

6. Green Bay Packers (12): 3-3 It's always so fun to watch Aaron Rodgers in a rhythm. This was the case Sunday Night in Houston.

8. New England Patriots (5): 3-3 They blew that one in Seattle and find themselves in a four-way tie for first place in the AFC East. With an easy schedule the rest of the way, the Patriots will get it together.

Who is the best team in the AFC?

Who is the best team in the AFC?

Patriots

Texans

Ravens

Broncos

10. Denver Broncos (13): 3-3Peyton Manning put on a clinic in the second half, as the Broncos scored 35 unanswered points to gain first place in the AFC West. That was vintage Peyton.

11. Minnesota Vikings (11): 4-2 The Vikings loss to the Redskins snapped their three-game winning streak as they couldn't contain Robert Griffin III. With two straight home games, there is a good chance this team gets to 6-2.

12. Arizona Cardinals (8): 4-2 Will the Cardinals' 4-0 start go to waste? The offense has looked nonexistent the past two weeks.

13. Pittsburgh Steelers (7): 2-3 Something hasn't looked right with the Steelers this season, as they've let two games slip away to the likes of the Raiders and Titans. Can they turn it around Sunday Night in Cincinnati?

14. Philadelphia Eagles (9): 3-3 Poor play-calling, turnovers and a bad fourth quarter cost the Eagles that loss against the Lions. That sounds a lot like last season.

15. Washington Redskins (20): 3-3 Concussion? What concussion? Robert Griffin III shut the door on the Vikings Sunday with a 76-yard touchdown run. This kid can play.

16. New York Jets (22): 3-3 They made it look easy against the Colts, and now travel to Foxborough to play an angry Patriots team. Can't wait! Yes, that is a Bart Scott reference.

Patrick Smith/Getty Images

17. Dallas Cowboys (18): 2-3 In their loss at Baltimore, we saw both the good and the bad of Dez Bryant in a sequence of two plays. The bad Bryant stole the show.

18. Detroit Lions (23): 2-3 The Lions saved their season with that comeback victory in Philadelphia after looking lethargic through three quarters. Can they carry that momentum into the Windy City on Monday Night Football?

19. St. Louis Rams (14): 3-3 The Rams' defense will keep them in a lot of games this year, but at some point they need to find an offense. It won't be easy.

20. Miami Dolphins (21): 3-3 The Dolphins head into the bye week with back-to-back wins and in a four-way tie for the AFC East title. Who saw that coming?

21. Buffalo Bills (28): 3-3 The Bills tried to lose that game, but the Cardinals would not take it. Instead, if the postseason began today, the Bills would be in the playoffs. Funny how things work that way.

22. Cincinnati Bengals (17): 3-3 Back-to-back losses to the Dolphins and Browns have the Bengals in trouble. The first of a three-game home stand starts against the Steelers.

25. Tennessee Titans (29): 2-4 That was a nice comeback win against the Steelers. The Titans needed it. Can they keep it going in Buffalo?

26. New Orleans Saints (24): 1-4 The Saints come out of the bye week with two straight road games with their season virtually on the line in each game.

27. Indianapolis Colts (19): 2-3 The Colts dug themselves into a hole in the first half for the second straight week, but it was too much to overcome this time. Andrew Luck will have games like this in his rookie season.

28. Carolina Panthers (25): 1-4 I hope Cam Newton took the bye week to clear his head. He's had a disappointing sophomore year in the NFL, to say the least.

29. Oakland Raiders (29): 1-4 They nearly stole that one in Atlanta, but the defense couldn't make one last stand after intercepting Matt Ryan three times in the game.